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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24436165">The Nature of Control</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cytryne/pseuds/cytryne'>cytryne</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dynamics of Control [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works &amp; Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dom/sub Undertones, Fix-It of Sorts, I have genuinely no clue what to tag in this, Kneeling, M/M, Negotiations, Threats of Violence, Unhealthy Relationships, War of the Elves and Sauron, actually pretty hopeful for the subject and timing, and i mean.......silverfisting, at the instance of my roommate i AM tagging that bc apparently i am not subtle, i love my roommate i swear, in the same universe as control and how to lose it but reading one isn't required for the other, more like the prelude to a fix it then the actual fix it?, sauron having emotions, that's more a 'to be safe' tag than not but there is one more violent part than the rest</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:41:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,124</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24436165</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cytryne/pseuds/cytryne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This might be the stupidest thing he's ever done, but there's been too much war for Celebrimbor not to even try. Annatar was his friend, his partner, his love--he knew him. He knew Sauron too. There had to be a way to persuade him to shift his plans enough to avert war, to find a better option that would still satisfy the Maia but not have such a high cost. No matter what happened to him for asking.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>Or, Celebrimbor goes to Sauron once the One is revealed but before war can break out. Things change.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annatar/Celebrimbor | Telperinquar, Celebrimbor | Telperinquar/Sauron | Mairon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dynamics of Control [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764790</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Nature of Control</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Something of a sequel to Control, and How to Lose it, but they're both perfectly capable of standing on their own. Feat. a large number of my headcanons, as per usual. I'll try to explain the most important in end notes, but may miss some lol.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Celebrimbor stood in the center a the dimly lit room. Torchlight sent flickering shadows along the edges, shifting more as heavily armed humans and orqui shifted around and watched him, but his eyes stayed fixed forward. Sauron sat there, lounging on what very might well be a throne. His eyes glowed an unnatural gold as they swept over Celebrimbor in a clear evaluation.</p>
<p>Silence.</p>
<p>He’d come here the moment he realised who exactly Annatar was, what exactly the rings were supposed to do. It had made so much, <em>painful</em> sense. The presumed-flaws in the rings had bothered him for years. It had been suspect, to a degree, but with how long it had taken him to find a way to reduce them in the Three he’d just assumed it was too complicated and not actually enough of a problem for Annatar to spend the time correcting. Finding out it was purposeful had brought a whole web of spells, and from there some vague idea of plans, into shape.</p>
<p>It hurt.</p>
<p>So he’d reached out to Sauron--<em>Annatar</em>--before anything could be officially declared, in the sort of idiotically hopeful move that would’ve made his family rip their hair out in frustration if he’d done it while they were alive. It was stupid, he could acknowledge that now that he was actually standing here, but it felt like his only option. He couldn’t let a war start without trying <em>something</em> to stop it. Anything. </p>
<p>And, surprisingly, Sauron had let him.</p>
<p>He’d sent Celebrimbor instructions for where to go once he admitted he knew and asked to talk. It had led him far to the south, in what he could only assume was the outskirts of Sauron’s support, where he was met by a group of Secondborn. They’d taken his weapons and blindfolded him before leading him to where he was now, and gracefully stepping out.</p>
<p>He’d banked on hoping centuries of companionship and decades of letters couldn’t have all be faked, that there must have been some small part of all of that that was real, and only this would tell if his gambit had paid off. If he could have any effect, or even walk out alive, it must have. Somewhere. <em>Please</em>. If not for his dispute with the Valar, this is when he’d pray. Pray the only person he’d ever actually loved and found his equal hadn’t all been fake.</p>
<p>It was impossible to know for sure. It would always be, no matter what he wanted.</p>
<p>Celebrimbor shifted his weight ever so slightly. The Maia smiled lazily, pleased, like he had everything where he wanted it and found Celebrimbor’s presence amusing. Something twisted at the thought, deep down in his gut, and Celebrimbor shifted again. The smile got wider. </p>
<p>Waiting was only giving Sauron a free chance to enjoy his discomfort. He had to interrupt the silence. He had to say something, try <em>something</em> to persuade him, but now that he was here nothing seemed fully adequate. The fear and anxiety and <em>loss</em> that had driven him there threatened to overwhelm him, but he forced his way past it, and began to speak.</p>
<p>“I know what you intend with the Rings.”</p>
<p>A pause. The Maia’s eyes seemed to bore into him, intense, <em>burning</em>, and his instincts screamed at him to hide, to close himself off from him as much as physically possible in the face of a predator. Celebrimbor ignored it. Better to be open and bare, limit the chances of Sauron assuming he was trying to deceive him. Even if it were uncomfortable being so rawly honest to someone who could order his death in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>“It’s clever, really. They mesh together so well, subtly granting you access to the bearer’s thoughts, abilities, and influence. You could control the world through them, if they didn’t notice early enough to defend against the influence. But you know as well as I that the Three don’t fit into it properly. My experiments--that <em>you</em> knew were happening--messed with their connection to it, giving the bearer awareness of the web and how to avoid being overwhelmed, to stop the One from being able to control them fully without their consent. They prevent you from taking the same sort of control over the elves as you could over the rest, giving them a chance to fight back.</p>
<p>“You could have stopped me at any point. You could have made sure you were there when I created them, or misdirected me more as to what the web was for. But you didn’t. I can only assume that means you <em>want</em> resistance.”</p>
<p>Celebrimbor breathed in, then out. Sauron didn’t move. There was no way to tell what effect his words were having, if he was right, or wrong. Nothing to do but continue.</p>
<p>“Why are you doing this? You know the current states of the elven kingdoms. They are unprepared, but not incapable. Responding to a threat from the Rings, or you, would not take long, and they would be absolutely capable of resisting for years. You may win, but it will come at a high cost. There would be nothing left but resentment and destruction. War will destroy so much of our world, again. There’s only two main reasons I can think you would do this, but I--” he hesitated, blinking as his emotions rose up again and his voice wavered-- “There have to be other ways to achieve the same end goal for you that won’t devastate the world. There <em>must</em> be.”</p>
<p>The Maia’s smiled grew more, a hint of teeth peeking out, and he leaned forward. His long fingers flexed over the arm of the chair as he shifted gracefully, tilting his head to the side to regard Celebrimbor idly. His voice came out cool and lightly amused.</p>
<p>“Beg.”</p>
<p>“Wha—“</p>
<p>“—You came here to try to <em>persuade</em> me, did you not? To try to get me to change my mind, to avert the suffering of your precious elves? <em>Beg</em>.”</p>
<p>He sucked in a breath, glancing around at the few onlookers nervously, but dropped to his knees in front of his former lover’s seat. The rough floor caught on his pants, cold and uncomfortable, but he didn’t shift again. He wouldn’t. Not until there was some form of a resolution. Tilting his head forward to look at the floor, he spoke again, voice coming out quieter and unsteady. Clearly desperate.</p>
<p>“<em>Please</em>, my lord. Please let me find a different solution. I don’t want to fight you. It will not end well for you, I, or any of the people I swore to protect at one point or another. And I . . . have no particular reason to oppose you beyond protecting them. I <em>will</em> not, if they are not hurt beyond what’s absolutely necessary.</p>
<p>“There must be other ways to solve this. Please, I <em>beg</em> you, consider them. If it is control you want, war will not grant you that. If it is revenge . . . there is no one left here who has any connection to Valinor. Would we be here if we did? Everyone who joined the war because of supporting the Valar alone is gone, and most of those who fought against you and remain now did so solely because their homes or families were threatened. They did not intend on anything more than protection.”</p>
<p>Celebrimbor looked up, shifting only enough to just barely meet Sauron’s eyes, and wet his lips. “I . . . I am the most responsible of everyone left for your losses there. The war would not have started without my family, and I take full responsibility for everything soldiers did under my or my family’s command, as well as my uncles’ and cousins’ roles. If you want revenge, let it be against me alone. <em>Please</em>.”</p>
<p>He kept his eyes fixed forward even though it meant breaking eye contact as Sauron decided to move from his seat. He felt more than saw the Maia move around him, coming to stand so close behind him he could feel the brush of robes against his feet. The familiarity of their position <em>ached. </em>His heartbeat picked up.</p>
<p>“And what of Gil-Galad?” The Maia asked, silky smooth, and he had to force himself to refocus. ”Your cousin and her ilk? Did they not participate in the war? Did they not murder their way across a continent in pursuit of something that did not <em>belong</em> to them? I distinctly remember their presence on the battlefield, and the people they supported. Why should I <em>not</em> make them pay for every second of their defiance, Tyelpe?”</p>
<p>Celebrimbor swallowed again at the diminutive, heart racing. Not much more he could say. “It is--it’s because they would not have been there at all if not for my family. They were mostly support. Staying to the sides and back to let the Feanorians die instead as a twisted form of apology for starting the war. I--<em>please</em>, my lord.” His voice cracked, and he rushed through the rest before his own damned emotions stopped him. “If not them, spare their underlings. They had no role, no responsibility. They don’t need to suffer for something they didn’t do.”</p>
<p>Silence.</p>
<p>A hand fisted into the hair at the base of his skull, nails scratching at his scalp as they slid through his braid. Slowly, it pulled, twisting his head back and up until it hurt. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, but he made no move to resist. Sauron looked down at him. His unnatural eyes glowed, but he did nothing for a long second, seemingly inspecting Celebrimbor for something, though he had no idea what.</p>
<p>“You genuinely mean that.” Ever perfect, like he’d been sculpted from the marble his grandmother used to use, nothing changed in the Maia’s face, but Celebrimbor couldn’t help but think that he would be frowning in confusion if he were mortal enough to listen to such bodily impulses. His other hand came up gently against Celebrimbor’s cheek, lightly tracing up the harsh line of his cheekbone and down his jaw. It came to rest loosely against the base of his neck, thumb digging into a pulse point in an idle threat. Celebrimbor swallowed again. </p>
<p>“You would let me do anything to you, if it meant I spared the rest of your kin. Even though they mistrust and mistreat you at any chance they might get, you would subject yourself to anything. You know what I am capable of, and yet you don’t hesitate to throw yourself on the sword for them. What have they <em>ever</em> done to earn such loyalty?”</p>
<p>“Nothing.” The word came out breathless from the pressure, but it was no less brutally honest. “I don’t--don’t want to help them, but they still don’t deserve to suffer. Not if I can find an alternative.”</p>
<p>More silence.</p>
<p>Then, softly, “You forget yourself, Tyelperinquar.”</p>
<p>The hand slipped off of his neck, the other twisting even more fiercely in his hair and yanking him back until he had to struggle to keep his balance. The eyes bored into him, burning and possessive and <em>angry</em> and so much more complex than he could have ever imagined. Beautiful in a horrible way. Sauron’s tone reflected his expression when he spoke, echoing in Celebrimbor’s ears as he struggled to react to the shift.</p>
<p>“I will <em>not</em> give up on my ambitions to appease your sensibilities. If I want the world to burn for its crimes, it <em>will</em> whether you want it to or not. I am not some fool of a Child to be swayed by gentle words and a smile. I am superior and I <em>will</em> be recognized as such. You have <em>no</em> rights, <em>no</em> power, except what I give you, and I can and <em>will</em> take it away in an instant if I so wish.“</p>
<p>A final tug, and the Maia let go. He returned to his place in front of Celebrimbor, completely relaxed. No signs of his previous actions remained except for a few silver strands caught on the sleeve of his robe. </p>
<p>“You have <em>one</em> warning. Now, there was something you wished to suggest?”</p>
<p>Even as he struggled to correct himself, neck aching and heart racing from Sauron’s words, Celebrimbor had to force himself not to smile. Those words were a concession and a warning all in one. The years of companionship had clearly done <em>something, </em>whether Sauron wanted to say it or not. He'd been given a chance to try to persuade him in what may as well have been an admission of some amount of genuine emotion. No guarantee, no way of ensuring it, but a chance, and the hope that his influence could be enough to limit the destruction. It could be enough.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Some notes on this:<br/>I hdc that Annatar and Celebrimbor kept in contact during the years after Annatar left but before the One was revealed through letters. Been meaning to write them all out, but haven't gotten around to it yet because it'll be a pretty massive endeavor and I'm not sure how people will react<br/>This talks about the Rings both a lot and not at all at the same time. I envision them as working through what was originally thought to be a "flaw" in their design that didn't impact functioning but still annoyed Celebrimbor. It was basically an "empty space" in the mental connection. Without the One, nothing happened. Once there was a One, they could all be looped back into it and he could influence their minds and actions. Since Celebrimbor messed with it, the higher-level rings have less and less of a space. It's so small in the Three that bearers become immediately aware of any attempt to mess with it and find it easier to block out than the rest. They can't keep an eye on what's happening with the One if they ignore it and it takes a lot of effort, but it does mean they can use the rings to some extent without risking harm.<br/>Yes, Celebrimbor did surrender entirely. And in this one, Mairon does have genuine emotions. They won't stop him from doing what he wants (I tend to find those fix-its unrealistic lol), but they make redirection possible.<br/>I spent a while trying to sort out the /why/ of the Rings lol. These two were the most likely options I could come up with, but I'm not completely satisfied with them and can't quite explain why. Opinions?<br/>The location of the Three isn't mentioned in this. I considered discussing them, but it just didn't fit well with the rest of the fic. Assume they fall under the "I will not fight you unless you hurt them" bit of Celebrimbor's speech. He'll give them up . . . if Mairon shifts course just a bit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As always, I'd love to hear any thoughts on this. Anything you'd like to see in what's apparently another 'verse now?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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